Rail-joint.



J. M. SMITH.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 17, 1911.

. 1,020,627 Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

ran screams OFFICE.

JABEZ M. SMITH, OF MALVERN, ARKANSAS.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Application filed July 17, 1911. Serial No. 638,921.

more particularly 'to fish plates of novel form having means adapted to extend under the rails and which are designed to engage so as to prevent the fish plates from spreading apart laterally, said engaging means being so shaped as to bind the fish plates upon the rails therebetween when said fish plates are shifted in opposite directions relative to each other.

Another object is to provide fish plates which are simple and durable in construction -and which can be rcadilyapplied to the rails.

\Vith the foregoing'and other objects in .view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of" the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of What is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :----Figure 1' is a vertical transverse section through a rail having the present improvements combined therewith. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the two fish plates inverted and separated. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the fish plates, the same being shown in the relative, positions in which they are placed prior to being shifted into engagement with each other. Fig. 4 is a view sim lar to Fig. 3 and showing the two fish plates in engagement with each other.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a fish plate having the usual bolt holes 2 and provided with a flange 3 adapted to bear-downwardly upon one of the base flanges of a rail A. Preferably three tongues, indicated at 4, are extended inwardly from the outer edge of the flange 3 and extend under said flange, these tongues being spaced apart distances slightly greater than the width of the tongues. Each tongue 4 has its free end portion reduced in thickness and formed with a cleat 5, said cleat being inclined relative to the outer edge of the flange 3 and all of the cleats being parallel. Spike receiving notches (i are formed in the outer edge of the flange 3 and between the tongues 4. The other fish plate 7 of the device has a flange 8 similar to the flange 3 and from which extends preferably three tongues 9 spaced apart distances slightly greater than the width of the tongues. Each of these tongues has its'free end portion reduced and provided with a oleat 1O inclined relative to the outer edge of the flange 8., The cleats 10, are all parallel and extend under the tongues 9 whereas the cleats 5 overhang the tongues 4.

. lVhen it is desired to assemble the fish plates'at opposite sides of rails to be secured together, one of the fish plates is shifted longitudinally so as to bringits tongues opposite the spaces on the other fish plate after which the two fish plates are moved toward each other so as to bring the tongues in the spaces opposite thereto. This position of the tongues has been illustrated in-Fig. 3. By hammering on the projecting end of either fish plate, the obliquely disposed cleats 5 and 10 will be brought into engage-- each other and willbind firmly upon opposite sides of the rails. After the desired adjustment has been effected, the fish plates can be fastened to a tie by means of spikes, such as ordinarily employed, these spikes being seated within the notches 6 in the two flanges 3 and 8.

Under some conditions the fish plates may not be bolted to the rails as the clamping action thereof will be sufficient to hold the rails properly in alinement. Ordinarily, however, bolts, such as usually employed,

are extended through the rails and through the openings 2 in the fish plates.

Importance is attached to the factthat, in order to fasten the fish plates together, it is not necessary to shift them any considerable distance relative to each other. This is due to the fact that the tongues are dispsed in staggered relation and a very slight movement of one of the fish plates relative to the other issuflicient to bring all of the tongues into engagement. It will be noted, by referring to Fig. 1, that the lower faces of the tongues are all located in the some plane so that they can thus rest smoothly on the top of a tie. If preferred, hoWever, the tongues When assembled in interlocked relation, can be disposed between the ties so that the notched-portions of the flanges 8 and 8 will rest flat upon the ties.

What is claimed is 1. A rail joint including opposed fish plates having base flanges, a series of spaced similar tongues on one base flange, engaging means upon the tops of said tongues, a series of spaced similar tongues on the other base flange, engaging means upon the bottoms thereof, the tongues of either series being insertiblebetween the tongues of the other series and shittable longitudinally of the bases to bring the engaging means thereon into engagement With the engaging means on the other tongues, said means co-' operating to draw the fish plates toward each other during such longitudinal movement.

2. A rail joint including opposed fish plates having base flanges, a series of tongues'extending, from andnnder each of said flang s, said tongues being spaced apart distancesl'slightly greater than the width of the tongues, obliquely disposed cleatsupon one face of the tongues of one series, corresponding cleats upon the opposed face of the tongues of thepther series,.a11 of said cleats cooperating during the longitudinal in the presence oftwowitnesses.

JABEZ M. SMITH.

"Witnessesf J.B.ALFORD,' WILLIAM H. HANSFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ?atents, Washington, D. O. 

